Data sets from: The role of universities in society

This study examines public views on universities’ societal roles beyond
education and research. A representative sample of 2,089 U.S. citizens
evaluates whether universities should engage in initiatives such as
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Free Speech, and Environmental
Sustainability, benchmarking views against corporations. We include an
incentivized experiment asking respondents to allocate money between
universities based on performance on various dimensions. Results show
broad support for engagement in initiatives related to environmental
sustainability, well-being, and free speech, but opposition to political
activism. Views on DEI are polarized: Women and liberals reward
universities excelling in DEI, but conservatives and men penalize them,
even when academic performance is equal. These findings highlight the
polarization surrounding universities’ societal roles.